Michael Vick - The Lightning Quarterback and a Dog Fighter

Michael Dwayne Vick (born June 26, 1980) is a former American Football Quarterback who played 13 seasons in the NFL, primarily with the Atlanta Falcons and the Philadelphia Eagles. He played college football at Virginia Tech and was selected by the Falcons as the first overall pick in the 2001 NFL draft.  During his six years with the Falcons, Vick was regarded as having  transformed the quarterback position with his rushing abilities and was  named to three Pro Bowls. He holds the record for the most career rushing yards by a quarterback  (6,109) and the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a season (1,039).

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The Dog Fight

Vick's NFL career came to a halt in 2007 after he pleaded guilty for his involvement in a dog fight fighting ring and spent 21 months in federal prison. His arrest and subsequent  conviction garnered Vick notoriety with the general public, which lasted  throughout the rest of his career. He was released by the Falcons  shortly before leaving prison.

The Forgiveness/ Another Chance

After serving his sentence, Vick signed with the Eagles in 2009. As a  member of the Eagles for five years, he enjoyed the greatest statistical  season of his career and was named to a fourth Pro Bowl in 2010, but  left the team after being unable to match his prior success. In his  final two seasons, Vick played for the New York Jets and Pittsburgh Steelers for one year each, primarily as a backup.